Emily Moreno accuses ex-husband Rep. Max Miller of abuse as family feud rocks Ohio Republicans

Emily Moreno, the ex-wife of Ohio congressman Max Miller and daughter of U.S. Senator Bernie Moreno, has accused Miller of domestic abuse, including claims that he hurt her and their 2-year-old daughter, according to published reports. Miller has denied the allegations, doing so in a live social media appearance on Sunday morning. The accusations have split two prominent Ohio Republican offices. Senator Moreno described his family's situation involving Miller as the "seventh level of hell" and said the allegations make his former son-in-law unfit to serve in Congress. Miller, in turn, has said his ex-wife struggles with significant mental health challenges and suggested the senator spoke out to deflect from a scandal. He said the allegations have damaged his reputation and caused pain to his family. The dispute now carries direct political stakes. Miller faces calls from within his own party to resign, including from Senator Rick Scott of Florida, who reportedly said Miller "shouldn't be in office." Miller has vowed to defy those calls and said he will not end his reelection campaign.

The abuse allegations against Max Miller

Emily Moreno, the ex-wife of Rep. Max Miller and daughter of Ohio Senator Bernie Moreno, has accused the congressman of domestic abuse. According to reports, the allegations include claims that Miller hurt both her and their 2-year-old daughter. The exact date of the alleged abuse is not known.

The claims have been amplified by her father. Senator Moreno has said the allegations make his former son-in-law unfit to serve in Congress, and he has described his family's ordeal involving Miller as the "seventh level of hell." According to reports, the senator also claimed Miller kept his young granddaughter's stuffed animal for two days, describing the toy as being held "hostage."

Separately, an attorney for Emily Moreno said a Dropbox folder Miller shared on X contained an inappropriate image of their child, one the attorney said could potentially be considered child sex abuse material.

Miller's denial and counterclaims

Miller has rejected the accusations outright. In a live social media appearance on Sunday morning, he denied the abuse allegations, according to reports. He said his ex-wife struggles with significant mental health challenges, citing that in his denial — a claim he made publicly and which Emily Moreno's side disputes by virtue of the allegations themselves.

Miller also said the accusations have damaged his reputation and caused pain to his family. He went further, suggesting that Senator Bernie Moreno spoke out about the allegations in order to deflect from a scandal, though he did not, in the material reported, specify what scandal he meant.

Despite the denials, Miller said he would not end his reelection campaign, vowing to defy calls from within his own party to resign.

A family feud between two Republican offices

The dispute has drawn in one of Ohio's most prominent Republicans. Senator Bernie Moreno, Emily Moreno's father, described his family's situation involving Miller as the "seventh level of hell," according to reports. He has said the domestic abuse allegations against his former son-in-law make Miller unfit to serve in Congress.

Moreno also claimed that Miller kept his young granddaughter's stuffed animal for two days, describing the toy as being held "hostage."

Separately, an attorney for Miller's ex-wife said a Dropbox folder Miller shared on X contained an inappropriate image of the couple's child. According to the attorney, the image could potentially be considered child sex abuse material. Miller has rejected the allegations against him, and the claims from both sides remain contested. The public rift between the senator and the congressman has turned a private family conflict into an open feud between two Republican offices in the same state.

Republican pressure and Miller's refusal to step aside

The allegations have split the Republican Party. Max Miller has faced calls from within his own party to resign, pressure he has vowed to defy. According to reports, Senator Rick Scott of Florida said Miller "shouldn't be in office" following the abuse allegations, one of the sharpest breaks from a fellow Republican. Senator Bernie Moreno, Emily Moreno's father and Miller's former father-in-law, has said the allegations make Miller unfit to serve in Congress, according to reports.

Miller has shown no sign of yielding. Reports say he has stated he will not end his reelection campaign, choosing instead to fight the accusations publicly. He has also said the allegations have damaged his reputation and caused pain to his family, according to reports, and has suggested Senator Moreno spoke out to deflect from a scandal.

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